Thomson multimedia to Acquire Professional Broadcast Content Creation Activity from Philips to Strengthen its Server and Automation Professional Solutions

PARIS, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson multimedia (NYSE: TMS) has reached a
preliminary agreement with Royal Philips Electronics for the purchase by
Thomson of Philips' Content Creation activity for professional broadcast
markets, a part of Philips Digital Networks' MP4Net Group.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the coming few weeks and
follows on Thomson's acquisition of the Philips Professional Broadcast
activities which was completed in March. Financial details will not be
disclosed.
The Content Creation activity, comprising 47 employees, is located in Salt
Lake City, Utah USA and develops products for professional broadcast Playout
and News Editing products.
The proposed transaction will strengthen Thomson IT Broadcasting with
internal strengths in both server and automation solutions, along with 3rd
party partners in editing, automation, and asset management. IT Broadcasting
is an activity dedicated to IT and network technologies for broadcasters. The
transaction fits with Thomson multimedia's recently announced Digital
Multimedia Solutions (DMS) strategy and will complement its existing
professional broadcast activities.
The activity will be part of Thomson's Broadcast and Network Solutions, a
business segment focused on business-to-business solutions for broadcasters,
content providers, network operators and advertisers aiming at deploying full
digital video content solutions.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding prospects
for the future that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the
factors that could cause actual income to differ materially from those
expected are the following: business conditions and general economic
conditions; competitive factors such as pricing and marketing efforts of rival
companies; timing of product introductions; ability of contract manufacturers
to meet product price objectives and delivery schedules; legislative,
regulatory, and industry initiatives that may affect planned or actual product
features and marketing methods; and the pace and success of product research
and development. For more information on the potential factors that could
affect the company's financial income, please review the relevant SEC filings.
About Thomson multimedia
With sales of 9.1 billion Euros (U.S. $8.3 billion) in 2000 and
73,000 employees in more than 30 countries, Thomson multimedia
(Paris Sicovam: 18453) (NYSE: TMS), provides a wide range of technologies,
systems, finished products and services to consumers and professionals of the
entertainment and media industries. To advance and enable the digital media
transition, Thomson multimedia has five principal activities: Digital Media
Solutions, Displays and Components, Consumer Products, New Media Services, and
Patents and Licensing. The company distributes its products under the popular
THOMSON, RCA and TECHNICOLOR brand names. For more information:
www.thomson-multimedia.com .
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